Five Star Michelin | Lee Taeyong x reader

Critic

"You think she'll like it?"

"Of course she will", Xiaojun assured you, rubbing your arms, "Calm down, I'm sure she'll love it."

You sighed, "Worrying is no use", you muttered, leaning against the kitchen counter, tapping your finger on the top of it, "It's not even on the menu yet, we're adding it, but I thought it would be a good idea- god what if it wasn't?"

"Y/n", Jaehyun said firmly, his voice pulling you out of the funk you had thrown yourself into. "Yeah, yeah, I know", you said, "But this is important."

Mark came back, holding an empty plate. "Where's the desert course?"

Johnny handed the waiter a plate with a tart, a combination of cream cheese, chocolate and caramel, a sort of cross between a cheesecake and a pie. You had plated it beautifully, with a mint leaf on top of the actual tart, drizzles of caramel and cream cheese frosting piped in little dots at the side.

Mark gave you a supportive smile before walking off to deliver the desert to the person who had ordered it, or rather asked.

In the corner of the restaurant sat Tahmina Aamani, food critic extraordinaire. She was well known in the food world for her lengthy reviews, the way she described everything. Her reviews could quite literally either make you or break you.

Tahmina was also on the Michelin committee, which wracked your nerves even more. The last time someone from the committee had come, it had been Kim Yeri, who had been highly impressed with you, in fact, that was how you got your first star.

But it still made you nervous, every time you saw a critic in the restaurant.

But you saw the opportunity, and took it, knowing that this was your chance to introduce the recipe you had been working on, and you did. Now she was probably eating it, making up her mind.

Donghyuck walked up to the counter, "Mark is taking other orders and she wants to meet you."

You straightened, nodding and following Hyuck out towards where Tahmina sat. She looked up from a notebook she was writing in, and smiled. "Hello Y/n"

"Hello, I'm so pleased to see you here tonight", you said, returning the smile. "I trust you had a good time?"
"It was lovely really", she said, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, "I enjoyed myself. You are a very talented chef. The tart is quite amazing."

"It's not on our menu yet", you explained, "A new original recipe I've come up with."

Her smile faltered for a moment again, "It's fantastic."

You thanked her prettily and she talked with you for a little while, briefly bringing up the Alastair award at one point. You chatted amiably, until she announced it was time to leave, complimenting your food one last time and leaving.

The weight lifted off your shoulder when she left, and you took the seat at the table she had occupied, which was now empty. You sighed, head in hands, not exactly sure how you should feel after that. She was a lovely person, but there had been something restrained in her voice, she was holding back information.

It unnerved you, and you didn't even know why.